Safety light



M. K. BROOKS May 4, 1948.

SAFETY LIGHT Filed llay 24, 1946 2 at one end of said cap to the Patented "May 4, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY LIGHT Michael Kenny Brooks, Portland, Oreg. Application May 24, 1946, Serial No. 672,092

My invention relates to improvements in safety lights, the primary object in View being to provide an inexpensive light of few parts, and compact form for carrying in the hand, pocket, or on a waist belt, or shoulder strap, and for use by pedestrians as a signal when crossimg at street intersections, or by bicyclists, or motorists, in hand signalling, or in any other capacity in which a light is particularly serviceable.

Another object is to provide a safety light which is easy to take apart for replacement of parts or other purposes, and which is especially adapted for easy quick replacement of batteries therein particularly.

Other and subordinate objects, also comprehended by my invention, togetherwith the pre- Cise nature of my improvements and the advantages thereof will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my improved safety light viewed from the front thereof;

Figure 2 is a similar view looking at the rear of the safety light;

Figure 3 is a view in plan with the top closure cap removed;

Figure 4 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, my improved safety light, as shown, comprises a body I of any suitable light, strong, insulation material, and which is tubular in form, elliptical in cross section, with open top and bottom ends.

A top closure cap 2, with an edge flange 3 is fitted over the top end of the body I for removal therefrom. The closure cap 2 is provided with a central hollow, relatively smaller, dome 4 through which a push pin 5 is slidably extended and also similarly extended through a central aperture 6 in the top of the cap. A coil spring I in the dome 4 surrounds the push pin 5 between the top of the cap 2 and a cross pin 8 in said push pin, said spring normally urging the push pin upwardly of the dome 4 and the cap 2. A leaf spring 9 is fixed atone end, as at Ill, in the cap top thereof and which is disposed in the longitudinal center of said cap 2 with its. free end underlying the push pin 5. A pair of resilient tabs II extend from the edge of the flange 3 upon opposite sides of 2 Claims. (01. 240-10155) the cap 2, and opposite sides of the vertical transverse center of the body I, with end apertures I2 therein for receiving pins I3 on opposite sides of the body I. Obviously, the tabs II are designed to snap over the pins I3 to retain the closure cap 2 on the body I. A strap loop M is formed on the rear side of the closure cap 2 for use in suspending the safety light froma shoulder. The closure cap 2 may be formed of any suitable light, strong insulation material.

A bottom closure cap I5, 'milar to the closure cap 2, is provided on the bottom end of the body I and secured to said body by tabs It and pins I'I similar to the tabs II and pins I3. However, the

insulation washers 30, said conductor bar having tabs I6 and the pins ii are staggered relative to the tabs II and pins I3 to locate the same upon opposite sides of the vertical transverse center of the body I with respect to the tabs II and pins I3. A leaf spring contact I8 is fixed, intermediate its ends, as at I3, to the bottom of the bottom closure cap I5 to extend longitudinally of said closure cap. The ends of the leaf spring contact l8 are upturned, as at 20 for a purpose presently seen. A fiat hook 2i is provided on the rear side of the bottom closure cap I5 for hooking over a waist belt to carry. the safety light on the same. g

A battery carrier is provided in the body I comprising a pair of cylinders 22, 23- adapted to fit in the edge portions of the body I and which are connected by a channeled spacer bar 24 the side flanges 25 of which are suitably fixed to said cylinders 22, 23. Between the flanges 25, the channeled bar 24 fits against the front of the casing I. The channeled bar 24 is formed of conductive material and provided with a central electric light socket 26 suitably extended through the front of the body i and into which is turned the usual electric light 21. An L-shaped conductor bar 28 is fixed to the channeled bar 24 and suitably insulated therefrom by a screw 29 and an upper end underlying the free end of the leaf spring contact 9. I

A pair of batteries 3|, 32 of the usual cylindrical dry cell type are fitted in the cylinders 22, 23, for removal therefrom, at will, and with the terminals 33, 34 at bottom ends thereof resting on the ends 20 of the leaf spring contact I8. The terminal 35 at the top end of one battery 3| underlies the leaf spring contact 9 for engagement thereby when said contact is operated by the push pin 5. The contact 36 at the upper end of the other battery 32 underlies and is engaged by a lateral conductor finger 31 on 3 one flange 25 of the channeled bar 24. At this point, it is explained, that the conductor bar 28 is spaced from the channeled bar 24 by the screw 29 and washers 30 and is adapted to hear at one end yieldingly against the usual terminal on the light 21.

A glass, cylindrical, guard 31 is threaded into a flange 38 on the socket 26 in covering relation to the electric light .21. The guard 31 is formed of red glass for signaling danger" with the exception of a small clear spot 39 at the top tor emitting a pencil beam for use in finding key holes, automobile and bicycle locks, garage locks and steps.

As will be understood, the batteries 3|, 32 are always in an electrical connection at one end by engagement of the-leaf spring contact 18 with the contacts 33, 34 and the battery 32 is always in electrical connection with the channeled bar 24 by engagement of the contact 36 with the conductor finger 31. The circuit is normally broken by flexing of the leaf spring 9 away from the contact 35 of the battery 3|. By pushing the push pin downwardly, or inwardly, the leaf spring contact 9 is flexed against the contact 35 of battery 3| and into engagement with the underlying end of the conductor bar 28 so that circuit is completed from the contact 35 through the leaf spring contact 9, the conductor bar 28 and-the end contact of the light 21 which is grounded to the channeled bar 24.

As will be seen, by removing the bottom closure cap IS, in a manner which will be understood, the batteries 3|, 32 may be easily removed and replaced. By removin the top closure cap 2, access may be had to the leaf spring contact 9 and the conductor bar 28 for replacement of repair of these parts. By removing the guard 31, the light 21 may be easily replaced. The construction and arrangement of the body I and the described battery holder provides for using two batteries side by side and placed closed together so that the overall length'or height of the device is reduced as compared with present day flash lights.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sufiice to impart a clear understanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a safety light a casing having end closures, a battery holder fitted in said casing and 4 comprising a pair of parallel cylinders and a bar of conductive material connecting said cylinders. and spacing the same apart, an electric light socket on said bar "extending out of the casing and having an electric light therein adapted to ground on one side to the bar, a pair of batteries in said cylinders having end terminals, means in one closure cap constantly connecting the terminals at one end of said batteries, a conductor finger on said bar engaging the end contact of one battery at the other end thereof, a spring contact in the other closure cap adapted to be engaged with the terminal on the other end of the other battery, 9, push pin on said other closure cap for engaging said spring contact, and means to electrically connect said spring contact with the other side oi said light when said spring contact is engaged,

2. In a safety light a casing having end closures, a battery holder fitted in said casing and comprising a pair of parallel cylinders and a bar of conductive material connecting said cylinders and spacing the same apart, an electric light socket on said bar extending out of the casing and having an electric light therein adapted to ground on one side to the bar, a. pair of batteries in said cylinders having end terminals, means in one closure cap constantly connecting the termi nals at one end of said batteries, a conductor finger on said bar engaging the end contact of one battery ;at the other end thereof, a spring contact in the other closure cap adapted to be engaged with the terminal on the otherend of the other battery, a push pin on said other closure cap for engaging said spring contact, and means to electrically connect said spring contact with the other side 01' said light when said spring contact is engaged, comprising a conductor bar against which said spring contact is adapted to be pressed by said push pin;

MICHAEL KENNY BROOKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the 

